Lascaux painting

Drawing Is Ancient

Drawing and painting reach back tens of thousands of years. Some cave images showed real animals or people, and even older ones used hand stencils and simple geometric shapes.

Visual Arts: How Drawing Began

Close-up of a hand drawing a portrait using color pencils on paper.

A Mark Can Be Made Many Ways

Drawing means making an image by pressing or moving a tool across a surface. Artists use graphite, ink, charcoal, pastels, markers, and even digital pens that mimic traditional tools.

Visual Arts: How Drawing Began

Visual Arts: How Drawing Began | DeepSwipe